Yoruba Day Celebration

Currently on display in the periodicals section on the 3rd floor, the FAL is proud to present a celebration of the University of Texas at Austin’s annual Yoruba Day, hosted during the Spring Semester by the John L. Warfield Center for African & African American Studies. The exhibit was curated by Eddie Chambers, Associate Professor in Art History here at UT. The Yoruba people are an ethnic group of Nigeria, including the Southwestern region of the country, and other parts of West Africa. The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, and Yoruba culture has had a profound impact on the nature of the African Diaspora, in different parts of the world. The British Empire controlled vast swathes of the continent of Africa, and in West Africa, the country that became known as Nigeria was, until Independence, one of the largest of Britain’s colonies. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country, and was said to have been coined in the late 19th century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Baron Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator, whose career included being Governor-General of Nigeria, 1914–1919. This display shows something of the range of materials relating to the Yoruba peoples, and the history of Nigeria. It ranges from various published histories of Nigeria, including several written for children, through to various publications and items related to Yoruba art and culture. Beyond the materials in this display, a great many publications exist, including a number written by professors at the University of Texas at Austin. Where material in this display is available in the libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. photos and design by Mark DorobaUT Librarie